Milk testing - wildly different results depending on make of test strip

stimpy

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 February 2009
Messages
540
Visit site
I have been milk testing for 3 weeks with some Easy Dip 5-in-1 pool testing strips that I bought off ebay. These strips have been registering no calcium in the milk and a pH consistently > 7.0.

I have also been using some test strips for testing the pH of human saliva or urine, these have also been reading >7.0.

Today I tried using some aquachek strips and got a reading of 1000ppm calcium and a pH of 6.2 :eek: I tested the same milk sample using the original strips and human strips and got exactly the same reading as before, no calcium, pH around 7.

So which ones do I believe? According to aquachek she's likely to foal very, very soon :eek::eek::eek::eek:

She's a week overdue, she's got huge udders and she was leaking small drops of watery milk for a while last night.
 

Monkers

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 May 2005
Messages
417
Visit site
Oh gosh! I have been using the aquacheck strips too. I'm getting twitchy now. Mine are registering between 0 and 100 ppm for calcium and 8 for PH. The colours are a bit tricky to read though, especially the PH which doesn't really look like any of the colours on the back of the bottle. I read on here that as long as there are still red or pink tones in the colour then the PH is still high.

Are you diluting 1ml milk with 6ml distilled water for the aquacheck strips?
 

stimpy

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 February 2009
Messages
540
Visit site
Oh gosh! I have been using the aquacheck strips too. I'm getting twitchy now. Mine are registering between 0 and 100 ppm for calcium and 8 for PH. The colours are a bit tricky to read though, especially the PH which doesn't really look like any of the colours on the back of the bottle. I read on here that as long as there are still red or pink tones in the colour then the PH is still high.

I switched to aquachek as they seemed to be the ones that most people were using. I *really* wish I had started off using them as then I would have a series of tests to compare with each other, as it is I seem to have jumped in at the sort of result everyone is waiting for! If they are to be believed that is....

I thought milk testing was supposed to take most of the worry away, now I can barely sit down!

Are you diluting 1ml milk with 6ml distilled water for the aquacheck strips?

I am doing exactly that.
 

Monkers

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 May 2005
Messages
417
Visit site
Well, it sounds as though your foal is well on the way then, tonight could be the night. Have you tried tasting the milk? It should taste bland to sweet if she is about to foal. If it's salty there could still be some time to wait.
I can't comment on the other strips as I haven't used them, but if the Aquacheck are as good as everyone says then I would be on foal watch tonight!
Good luck, don't forget to post some pics of the new baby!
 

stimpy

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 February 2009
Messages
540
Visit site
Thanks Monkers, I will be milk tasting as well as testing later today! Looks like it will be a loooooong night....

This will be my girl's forth foal, but it's my first. I reckon she's experienced enough to know that they are less trouble in than out so she's making me wait :D

Don't worry there will definitely be photos!
 

Cherrygarden

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 July 2011
Messages
154
Visit site
To OP have you checked your original test strips and the aquachek ones against cows milk to see what they say? I am worried now as have lent fish tank testing strips to a friend for her mare who looks quite imminent. They register Calcium off the scale and looow PH for cows milk but negligible calcium and she said low PH for the mares milk. We used similar ones years ago for a mare and they did register the calcium correctly but haven't used them with our mare as she only lets milk down the night she foals.
Only slightly panicking.......
 

stimpy

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 February 2009
Messages
540
Visit site
Nope, no foal yet :( Another fruitless night of foalwatch.

Milk test this morning had a pH that is such pale orange it's off the scale, ie below 6.2.

Hasn't she seen the weather forecast for goodness sake? Now is the PERFECT time to drop foalie, we have a few mild days ahead. Honestly some people... ;)
 

stimpy

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 February 2009
Messages
540
Visit site
To OP have you checked your original test strips and the aquachek ones against cows milk to see what they say?

I did check them, and that was why I got different strips! They registered absolutely nothing on the calcium fornt when I dipped them in cows milk. I didn't even notice the pH, just concluded that they were rubbish and immediately went and bought aquacheck ones!
 

Cherrygarden

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 July 2011
Messages
154
Visit site
Rubbish that you haven't got foal, mare is obviously waiting for thunderstorms but very glad that if our strips work with cows milk they are probably okay.....
Mares are a law unto themselves, now they are onto the fact that we have learned to predict their foaling habits with milk testing they are obviously going to work on leading us further up the garden path.
 

ElleSkywalker

As excited as Kitty about to be a bridesmaid
Joined
9 March 2011
Messages
11,988
Location
Tiny farm some where in UK
Visit site
Nope, no foal yet :( Another fruitless night of foalwatch.

Milk test this morning had a pH that is such pale orange it's off the scale, ie below 6.2.

Hasn't she seen the weather forecast for goodness sake? Now is the PERFECT time to drop foalie, we have a few mild days ahead. Honestly some people... ;)

Come on foalie!!

Just tested black pony and calcuim now 1000 and pH orange with white edges so think thunderfoals are go sometimw in day 24-48 hours :D

Ps Black pony has her own interent connection up at stables so you would think she would have checked weather forecast too but noooooo, silly technology shy pony :D
 

stimpy

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 February 2009
Messages
540
Visit site
Rubbish that you haven't got foal, mare is obviously waiting for thunderstorms but very glad that if our strips work with cows milk they are probably okay.....

Yep, I reckon if they are reading cows milk properly you'll be alright.

Mares are a law unto themselves, now they are onto the fact that we have learned to predict their foaling habits with milk testing they are obviously going to work on leading us further up the garden path.

Quite. As an experienced mum I reckon she knows it's more trouble out than in :D
 

Monkers

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 May 2005
Messages
417
Visit site
Just an update..... My aquacheck strips worked very well, The calcuim went from low to 250 and still a highish ph on Weds. Then on Thursday at 5pm her reading was 500+ calcium and very low if off the scale ph. I got pretty much the same reading with cows milk. (cherrygarden, I think you and I have been chatting on facebook!)

She foaled a couple of hours after that, so if you get a low ph with the aquacheck strips then watch them like a hawk!
 

Cherrygarden

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 July 2011
Messages
154
Visit site
I think we have been checking and I am very grateful to everyone who has tested their strips to put my mind at rest. Your mare and foal are gorgeous Monkers.
Wonder how OP is getting on with her mare......
 

ElleSkywalker

As excited as Kitty about to be a bridesmaid
Joined
9 March 2011
Messages
11,988
Location
Tiny farm some where in UK
Visit site
No foalies at skywalker towers yet, pH now off chart pale but calcuim seems to have dropped back to 500! Last night the calcium was a perfect 1000 reading :confused:

Who knows, but surely foal will make an apperance tonight :eek:
 

stimpy

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 February 2009
Messages
540
Visit site
Wonder how OP is getting on with her mare......

Still waiting....

She now has lots of wax and milk splashes down her back legs and her udders are amazingly hard. Please, please let her foal tonight.... (This afternoon would be even nicer :D)
 

Monkers

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 May 2005
Messages
417
Visit site
I think we have been checking and I am very grateful to everyone who has tested their strips to put my mind at rest. Your mare and foal are gorgeous Monkers.
Wonder how OP is getting on with her mare......

Thanks, I think so too! :)

Good luck Stimpy and Skywalker too, hope tonight's the night!
 

stimpy

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 February 2009
Messages
540
Visit site
For those who requested photos here is my unnamed-as-yet foal :D

One hour old with Mum having a well earned rest:

picture.php


Two hours old:

picture.php
 

ElleSkywalker

As excited as Kitty about to be a bridesmaid
Joined
9 March 2011
Messages
11,988
Location
Tiny farm some where in UK
Visit site
elle, i am going out for the evening, when i return i expect good news from horsey, and i promise to put pics up the moro xxxxxx good luck xxxxx

Thanks, I hope so too!! Looking forward to foaly pics too :D

Maybe you chaps can get your mares to send 'foaling is easy' & 'foals are cute' vibes to black pony?
 

stimpy

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 February 2009
Messages
540
Visit site
Maybe you chaps can get your mares to send 'foaling is easy' & 'foals are cute' vibes to black pony?

I'll have a word with Jenny now. Black pony to black pony vibes and all that.

I have all my fingers and toes crossed for you for tonight Elle :)
 

Monkers

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 May 2005
Messages
417
Visit site
Congratulations Stimpy, she's just delicious, I love her curly mane!

I think tonight's the night for Elle, so if I brought you luck then maybe I will again!!
 
Top